Mini Cheesecakes
These Mini Cheesecakes feature a homemade graham cracker crust with a smooth and creamy cheesecake filling. This recipe is incredibly easy to make and includes several different topping options to use too!
If you’ve been following me for a while, then you know I adore mini desserts. From mini apple pies to mini lemon blueberry cheesecakes and mini pecan pies, I just can’t get enough of them!
Today’s mini cheesecake recipe is one of my favorite mini desserts because it’s so versatile. The graham cracker crust is incredibly simple to throw together and the cheesecake filling is super smooth and creamy. Plus, they only take about 25 minutes in the oven and you don’t have to mess with a water bath either.
You can leave these mini cheesecakes plain or top them with just about anything. This recipe will make 12 mini cheesecakes, but you can easily cut the recipe in half or double it if needed. I’ve even included seven different topping options for you to try on these too!
How To Make Mini Cheesecakes
To make these mini cheesecakes, you’ll start out with the graham cracker crust which is just a simple mixture of graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. If you want to make this recipe even easier you can use store-bought graham cracker crumbs. Here’s how to make the crust:
- Stir together the ingredients: You’ll stir the graham cracker crumbs and sugar together until well combined, then stir in the melted butter until are all of the crumbs are moistened.
- Line your muffin pan with cupcake liners: This will make it easier to get the mini cheesecakes out of the pan and serve them too!
- Evenly distribute the mixture between the liners: I suggest using a measuring cup to firmly press the crust down into each liner.
- Bake for 5 minutes: Once the crust is done, remove the pan from the oven and set it aside while you prepare the filling.
Next, you’ll mix up the cheesecake filling which consists of cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs.
- Cream Cheese: For the best flavor and texture, I recommend using full-fat cream cheese. Reduced-fat cream cheese will work too, but I don’t suggest using fat-free.
- Sour Cream: The sour cream helps to break up the thickness of the cream cheese and creates a creamier filling. You may substitute it for an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt if you don’t have any on hand.
- Sugar & Vanilla: There’s 1/2 cup of sugar to sweeten the mini cheesecake bites and some vanilla for flavor.
- Eggs: These help add structure to the mini cheesecakes.
To make the filling, you’ll mix the cream cheese and sour cream together until they’re well combined, then mix in the sugar and vanilla extract. It helps to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl after each step. Once the first four ingredients are mixed together, you’ll mix in the eggs one at a time. I suggest mixing the eggs in on low speed until just combined. Overmixing the eggs can incorporate too much air into the cheesecake batter and cause them to crack.
Then, evenly distribute the filling on top of each crust and bake for about 17-20 minutes.
Once the mini cheesecakes are done baking, you’ll want to let them cool completely in the pan for about an hour. Once cooled, remove them from the pan and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
FAQ’s
How do you know when they are done?
The tops of the mini cheesecakes will puff up in the oven and look set. The edges should be completely set, but the center will still be just a little bit jiggly. The cheesecakes will continue to set up as they cool and once they’re refrigerated.
Can you freeze them?
Yes, these will freeze really well! You can freeze them in a freezer bag/container for up to 3 months, just thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Can you use a mini cheesecake pan for this recipe?
Yes, a mini cheesecake pan will work just fine! Since the cavities are a little smaller than a muffin pan, I recommend making 16 instead of 12 with this recipe.
Different Topping Options
Here are a few of my favorite toppings to use on these mini cheesecakes:
- Homemade Whipped Cream
- Salted Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Ganache
- Blueberry Sauce
- Strawberry Sauce
- Dulce de Leche
- Homemade Lemon Curd
Baking Tips
- For this recipe, you’ll be using a regular or standard muffin pan not a mini muffin pan.
- To get the graham cracker crust firmly packed into the liners, I like to use a 1/4 – 1/3 cup measuring cup to press the mixture down.
- Make sure to set all of your ingredients for the filling out ahead of time to come to room temperature. This will ensure a smoother and creamier cheesecake filling!
- I recommend using full-fat cream cheese and sour cream for a richer texture and flavor.
- When mixing in the eggs, make sure to mix them in on low speed one at a time until just combined. Over mixing the eggs into the cheesecake batter can incorporate too much air and cause them to crack.
Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients
For the graham cracker crust:
- 1 cup (120 grams) graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons (40 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 and 1/2 tablespoons (50 grams) unsalted butter melted
For the cheesecake filling:
- 16 ounces (452 grams) brick-style cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80 grams) sour cream room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Instructions
To make the graham cracker crust:
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and mix until all of the crumbs are moistened. Evenly distribute the mixture between all 12 liners and firmly press it down into one even layer.
- Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Keep oven temperature at 325°F (163°C).
To make the cheesecake filling:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese and sour cream together until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, on low speed until just combined.
- Evenly distribute the batter between all 12 liners in the cupcake pan, filling each one almost all the way to the top.
- Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 17-20 minutes or until the tops of the cheesecakes are set.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 1 hour. Carefully remove from the pan and chill in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight.
I have made these for holidays etc for the past several years. They are delicious and the perfect amount of cheesecake. I add strawberry sauce, chocolate ganache, chocolate mousse, or lemon curd. I also leave some plain.
I haven’t made these yet, was going to bring them to a Christmas gathering. Can I use nilla wafers instead of the graham cracker?
Yes, that would be okay!
Delicious! Made them as minis, came out fantastic. Thanks for the recipe.
In your experience, is it best to top these with a ganache or dolce de leche before putting them in the fridge, or after they’ve set for a few hours?
Either way would be okay, but I do prefer to add the toppings after they’ve been in the fridge for a few hours.
Very good, easy recipe. Fun to do with kids/young adults as its not that hard, gives them a sense of accomplishment, and the end product is very good.
5 ⭐️
I made these for thanksgiving and added chocolate chips, and made a strawberry sauce for topping. OUTSTANDING base recipe for cheesecake!
can you freeze the leftover filling
I wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe, but you can freeze any leftover mini cheesecakes.
What is the nutritional value of one mini cheesecake?
I’m not sure, but you can use an online calculator (like My Fitness Pal) to get an estimate.
I am using the jumbo cups how long do I bake them and at what temp.
I haven’t tested it, so I’m not sure. I would just keep a close eye on them and remove them from the oven once the top of the cheesecakes are set and no longer look wet.
I made these as minis – the perfect one bite dessert. Served with either lemon curd, salted caramel or hazelnut spread and whip cream. The were a hit and absolutely delicious!
When do you take cupcake paper off?
Whenever you prefer! You can either serve these in the liners or remove the liners before serving. If I remove them before serving, I freeze the mini cheesecakes for a little while so the liner peels off cleaner.
Can I add pumpkin puree to the filling for mini pumpkin cheesecakes?
You would need to make some adjustments to the recipe. I do have a mini pumpkin cheesecake recipe and a pumpkin cheesecake bar recipe you could use instead.
How can I change this recipe to chocolate cheesecake? I want to layer the chocolate cheesecake with this vanilla one. Will adding melted chocolate make the cheesecake too soft?
I don’t think it will make it too soft, but the amount of melted chocolate will kind of depend on how much cheesecake filling you’re using. Are you wanting to just use half of the batter and make it chocolate? If so, I would probably only add about 3 ounces of melted chocolate. I also have a full size chocolate cheesecake recipe that you could use for reference.
very moist and delicious!
Im going to use this recipe for my sister’s wedding reception. How can I increase this to make 5 dozen. Do I just multiply everything by 5? Also, I’d like to have at least 3 different toppings. What do you suggest?
Yes, you can just increase everything by 5 to make 5 dozen. It will be a lot of filling though, so it may be best to do it in two separate batches of 3 dozen and 2 dozen. For toppings, I would probably go with a chocolate option (like the ganache), something fruity (probably strawberry or blueberry), and maybe something simple like just whipped cream.
I had to bring a dessert to a gathering and everyone loved these! The texture with the sour cream makes for super luscious smooth dessert bites. I used full size muffin tins, added a little cinnamon and pumkin spice into the Graham mix, then sprinkled pumkin spice on top since its fall. Everyone loved these! I will definitely make again! Great recipe, thank you!
I added some lemon juice. I did use both low fat sour cream, low fat cream cheese, and added 2 tablespoons of flour. This was the best mini cheesecake recipe. Although I baked in a mini cheesecake pan. Will definitely make again.
Made these in mini cupcake pans with tips from another commenter. One batch made 3 dozen mini cheesecakes with filling left over. I put 1.5 tsp of crust mixture with 1 tsp scoop of filling per cup. Baked crust for 4 minutes then with filling for 14. Came out perfect!
Hi Amanda,
I’m curious the tips that you got from the other comment or are they all included in your comment? I’d like to use the mini pan as well.
Is it possible to make this vegan? Is there a egg substitute we could use?
I’ve never tried an egg substitute in this recipe, so I’m not sure. I do have a no-bake mini cheesecake recipe that’s eggless though.
So these are the size of a regular cupcake?
Yes, they are.
How would I adjust this recipe for jumbo muffin pan size. Ingredients and temp and length of time?
If you’re wanting to just make 6, I would keep the ingredients and oven temperature the same and just increase the baking time for the filling. If you’re wanting to make a dozen, I’d recommend doubling the ingredients, keeping the oven temperature the same, and increasing the baking time for the filling.
Can I add mini M&M’s before I bake it? Or does it need to be a no-bake cheesecake recipe?
That would be fine, just keep in mind that the color from the candies may bleed some as the cheesecakes bake in the oven. Another option would be to top them with some whipped cream/chocolate ganache and sprinkles the mini M&M’s on top.
These were so darn good! I am going to try the Oreo next (my daughter’s request). I see you have a mini Oreo recipe. I was wondering if I could just use this recipe and incorporate the 6 crushed Oreo’s even though the recipe’s are slightly different? PS For those who are wondering about freezing, absolutely!
Yes, it would be fine to chop some Oreos and add them to this recipe!
I’m interested to try this. Did I miss the recipes for the different toppings?
All of the different topping options are linked in the post right above the baking tips section.
Would a water bath help them bake or is that unnecessary?
I don’t find it necessary for this recipe.
They were easy to make, haven’t tasted yet, enjoyed making gramcraker cups first time. Yay!